Water's Edge
by porcelainarmy
Summary: When the Doctor repays the favor of a woman and takes her along with him, does he get more than he bargained for? 10th Doctor/ Rose, OC: Lily...aka the Mystery Woman...aka...only half OC due to something timey wimey. Disclaimer: mentions of suicide
1. Chapter One: The Friendliness of Water

**Note: Thank you all for reading and hope you enjoy! As always, this is co-written by my lovely and wonderful friend ( .com)**

**Disclaimer: Although it would be my dream come true, I do not in fact own Doctor Who or any of its characters. **

**Chapter One: The Friendliness of Water**

The Doctor walked along the pier, looking out at the waves and the setting sun. He was still a bit dirty and ragged looking, but what could you expect? He had just finished saving the world…again. He always needed this bit of reflective time to himself after something like this had happened. It helped him stay sane... he could convince himself for a while that he wasn't as much of a monster as he felt. Yes he had won... but at what price? To all the passersby, the dirty man in the suit probably looked mad, and maybe he was.

"Hey," called a soft voice behind him, "You alright mate?" A woman with short brown hair and a cropped dark leather jacket and jeans stood a few feet behind him, looking at him curiously.

"Huh? Me?" he asked, her voice pulling him from his own self-loathing thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine... just uhhh, been a bit of a rough day... decided to clear my head." He looked at her for a moment, assessing her. Not many humans usually just stopped a stranger on the street to see if they were ok.

"Yeah, looks like it," she smirked as she eyed him a bit and cocked her head to the side, "Sure you're okay? You're lookin at that water awfully friendly...don't want you gettin any ideas..."

'Not that it would do me much good,' he thought to himself. "Yeah, I'm fine, but you're probably right...I should get out of here..." he replied as he turned away from the water. "Thank you for your concern by the way," he smiled, "You don't find that very often now days..."

"Yeah, no worries," she smiled, "I'd like to think someone would do the same for me one day. See ya." The woman walked away, fiddling with her phone. The Doctor smiled a bit to himself and walked back in the TARDIS.

He smiled slightly as he closed the doors behind him. It was little moments like that; that kept him pushing forward, fighting for the human race...because of people like her.

oOo

A few years later, the Doctor was walking casually back to the TARDIS; it was about in the same place it'd been the last time he'd been there. As he walked with his hands in his pockets, humming slightly to himself, he glanced over to see a woman by the water, leaning dangerously far over the railings.

"Excuse me, miss," he said, making his presence known so as not to frighten her by sneaking up. "You alright?"

"Bit of a rough day I suppose...," she said quietly, not turning around, "Bit of a rough few months actually..."

"I know the feeling," the Doctor replied. Her voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it. "Maybe you'd like to talk about it instead of making me nervous by how friendly you're looking at those waves," he said, using the woman's terminology from a few years ago. He had never forgotten her.

She laughed a bit, "Funny...told the same thing to a bloke once...happened right here actually..."

The Doctor looked closer at her for a moment; could it be? It was! Her hair was a bit longer, and her frame a bit leaner, but it was the same woman. "I know," he said softly. "You said you would want someone to return the favor, so here I am." He smiled to himself, inwardly thanking the TARDIS for bringing him here tonight; he had wondered why she had.

The woman turned her head around and looked at the Doctor. "It's you? But...how could you be here right now? No one's timing is that good..."

"There are always little miracles in life," he smiled as he reached out his hand. "Now please, come with me and step back. Whatever the problem is, we'll figure it out together. I promise."

She didn't know why, but she trusted him and took his hand, allowing him to help her safely away from the railing. "Right...well...yeah..." the woman muttered, unsure what to say. A few moments ago, she'd been standing looking at the water, practically ready to jump and now she was standing here with this man.

The Doctor, kindly, yet completely in control, led her over to a bench and sat with her for a moment. Letting her clear her mind a minute before he spoke. "What's going on? I'm not here to judge, or ridicule. I'll just listen. I know what it's like to feel like everything is so bad that death is the answer... but I promise it isn't."

Suddenly, the woman burst into tears and sobbed heavily. "Everything! Everything gone to shit! I got fired... my boyfriend cheated on me and left me for the other woman... my Dad died...I'm gonna lose my flat soon... I-I needed a way out and now I'm sobbing on a bench to a total stranger who probably thinks I'm a loony!"

"No... not at all..." the Doctor said softly as he laid a hand on her shoulder. He really just wanted to hug her and console her, but he thought better of it as she'd think _he_ was the loony. He thought for a moment about her situation, and then his. He had been alone for quite some time now since he'd taken Donna home... maybe this was the answer for both of them... "What would you say if I told you I knew a way out."

She wiped at her face for a moment and looked up at him. "I'd say please... please show me this way out because there's gotta be bloody more than this life!" she exclaimed.

A huge smile spread over his face, "Oh there is! There really is... I'm sorry... What's your name?"

"Lilly...Lilly Marie Scott..." she mumbled with a sniff, "Don't think I caught yours come to think of it..."

"I'm the Doctor," he smiled as he grabbed her hand. "Come with me Lilly Marie Scott! I'll show you things you never dreamed were possible...I'll give you your escape," he said as he got up and pulled her along with him and headed quickly for the TARDIS.

"The Doctor? What kind of name is that? That's not a proper name... not really... but then again, what's a proper name... Well then Doctor... I don't know why, but I trust you. I've got nothing... get me outta here. Show me this so called escape," she said as she wiped the last few tears from her eyes and tried to catch up to him.

The Doctor hurriedly pulled her along with him until they reached the TARDIS and he took out his key to unlock it. He felt a tad giddy as this was always his favorite part.

"A blue police telephone box is my escape? Now I really am thinking you're the one that's loony... haven't seen one of these since I was a little girl... and then it disappeared..." Lilly sighed, shaking her head. She knew this whole thing had been too good to be true.

"Well then it must have been the same one, because this is the only one that disappears," he grinned as he snapped his fingers and the door opened before her eyes. "Please just trust me for a moment more... I promise you won't be disappointed."

She stood there slightly wide-eyed and followed him inside. "It's just a box though... what's so special about a box..." she muttered to herself before walking in after him. She froze immediately in her tracks as she looked around and carefully walked backwards and out of the TARDIS. She stood there, blinking hard as she tried to wrap her mind around what she'd just seen.

"You don't have to leave... she doesn't bite..." he laughed. "She's my TARDIS...Time And Relative Dimension In Space... I would take the time to tell you what that meant except you probably wouldn't understand, so I'll just explain by saying she's my ship."

"It's...it's...but...but how?" she stuttered, "It's bloody bigger on the inside! What the hell!? Who are you!?"

"I told you, I'm the Doctor, and it's bigger on the inside due to alien technology," he grinned. "To be more exact it's Time Lord technology...that's what I am... a Time Lord I mean. I can take you anywhere that ever has been or ever will be, on this planet or any other. All you have to do is decide to come with me."

"I knew aliens existed! Nobody ever believed me! How could there not be more out there with all the stuff that's been going on around here over the past few years!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down slightly in excitement.

"Ahh its nice to finally find a believer that doesn't try to convince themselves that I'm not real," he chuckled as he watched her walk back into the TARDIS and take another look around.

"Oh this is brilliant! Absolutely fantastic!" Lilly grinned as she spun to face the Doctor who came striding in with his hands in his pockets. "You're fantastic! You saved me! You're an alien from another planet and you saved me! I could bloody kiss you- actually come to think of it!" she exclaimed before quickly walking over and pulling the Doctor into a lip lock.

The Doctor looked down widely at her as she kissed him and continued to for a moment after she'd stopped. "Umm well... alright then, moving on shall we?" he asked as he ran a hand nervously through his already naturally messy hair.

"Sorry... just figured hey, live for the moment right now ya know? And at that particular moment I wanted to kiss and thank the ali- er man that saved me," Lilly shrugged, completely unfazed. She was very different than any of the Doctor's recent companions.

"It's fine, just a bit unexpected," he laughed as he made his way over to the console. "So Lilly, out of every imaginable place that has or will ever exist...where would you like to start your journey?"

"Talk about your loaded questions!" she laughed as she bit at her nail, "Oh gosh...I don't know...the future- no the past- wait no the future- wait, no the present but somewhere else in space. Oh I don't know! Surprise me!"

The Doctor couldn't help but laugh at her indecisiveness. "How about we let the TARDIS surprise both of us? That's how I found you, she brought me here. I suppose she knew you needed me to repay the favor."

"You act as though it's alive," Lilly chuckled, crossing her arms before looking at the Doctor, "Wait...it's not alive is it?"

"Oh course it is! Grown from the soils of Gallifrey... that's where I'm from by the way." he replied. "She's very much alive, very smart too."

Lilly looked at the console and then around her at some of the coral struts before patting the controls lightly. "Uh..hi there...good TARDIS," she said sheepishly, "Thanks for bringing him to me I suppose... who knows where I'd be right now otherwise..."

"She isn't a dog," he laughed, "You don't have to tell her she's good, she already knows that; though the thanks was greatly appreciated." The TARDIS hummed lightly, "I think she likes you." The Doctor hurried around the console and started pushing what seemed like random buttons with no real order.

"All she did was hum... is that alien speak? Is that what you sound like, but you're being translated to me cause I'm a human or something? Sorta like how you look human... are you projected to fit whoever you run into?" she rambled as she gestured to him.

"You know... I like you, you're creative," he chuckled. "No, not quite. I look this devilishly handsome to everyone... I just sound different with everyone because the TARDIS translates languages for me. She will for you too. I understand her though because I've seen inside the heart of the TARDIS. It's how she bonded with me... it's hard to explain."

"Sounds all...spacey...cool. This is brilliant you know? Did I mention that already? Sorry... I ramble sometimes... Dad always said I had a gob on me... also I can be a bit eccentric... hope you don't mind!" she laughed as she looked at all the controls and then down a corridor, "How far does she go? The TARDIS I mean... you said she's bigger on the inside, but just how big exactly?"

The Doctor blinked hard, loving how fast she could switch gears. It was almost like looking at a female version of himself; finally someone that could keep up with his antics! "Actually, she never ends. She's always adding on rooms... she goes on forever as far as I can tell. She'll always lead you back here though, never let's anyone get lost."

"Well that's good... I have a tendency to do that... get lost that is," Lilly sighed before crinkling her brow, "Did I hear you call yourself devilishly handsome? Cheeky one ain't ya?"

She even backtracked like he did! Oh this was perfect! "Lilly... stay right there, because before we're off I'm gonna hug you," he said as he walked toward her, "You are magnificent you are!"

"Oh hugging, I like this!" she laughed, "And thank you! I've always thought so." She shot him a wink and a grin before he let go of her. "Alrighty medical man- hmmm gonna need to work on that one a bit... doesn't really roll off the tongue... anyway, come on!"

The Doctor grinned and pushed a few more buttons before the TARDIS jolted beneath their feet. "Careful!" he laughed. "You might wanna hold on to something!"

"Oh alright then!" she smirked before wrapping her arms around the Doctor cheekily, "Well you said to hold onto something!"

The Doctor smiled down at her. 'Well she's an interesting one,' he thought to himself as he helped steady her.

"So... where are we going Doctor?" Lilly asked, "Oh wait... you put it on random... never mind my rambling..."

"Stop telling me not to mind you... I rather like a good ramble every now and then. I do it quite often really... it'll be good for someone else to do it for a change," he chuckled as they started to materialize.

"Right...sorry...gotta get used to that then," she smiled, "I'm just used to people telling me to calm down and stop talking"

"Yeah... I get that a lot too," he said as he let go of her and took her hand, heading toward the door. "But what do they know? You just do what comes natural to you. Trust me, you are brilliant."

"Oh gosh... I'm not brilliant... just a waitress from London- correction... a fired waitress from London... I'm not anything special...," Lilly sighed as she followed after him, bouncing slightly.

"Oh but see that's where you're so wrong," he smiled as he opened the doors and practically pulled her out of the TARDIS. "You are special... you are the first ever fired waitress from London to travel the universe with the last Time Lord in existence and land with him on Xenion 3!"

"Wait? You're the last? As in the only one? Oh that's sad... and oh my, this place is gorgeous!" she smiled, squeezing his hand.

The Doctor inwardly wondered if this was what it was like to be in other people's shoes when they were talking to him. "Yes, yeah it is a beautiful planet, and don't worry... all that is very far in the past now. I'm used to being the only one."

"Well I'm alone and you're alone... wanna be alone together?" Lilly asked, looking up at him, "Sorry... that was sorta random and bold..."

"Oh it's fine," he replied, running a hand through his hair. "That's sorta the point of taking you with me I'd say."

"Oh... so you weren't just kidnapping a random woman off the streets of London," Lilly smirked.

"What, me kidnap? Never," he laughed. He liked Lilly... she was different.

"Oh really? So you didn't just whisk me away out of the blew?" she laughed with him, "Sounds like kidnapping to me... or did you want a gorgeous 26 year old, Irish woman to travel with you?"

"Something like that," the Doctor grinned as he took a good look around. They seemed to be in a very lavish purple-grassed countryside. "I've had quite a few companions over the years."

"Oh really? Like to be adored and doted on?" she grinned and nudged his arm, "Come on... this place is brilliant! I'm standing in a purple field! A purple field on an alien planet!"

A bit of a shadow seemed to move across the Doctor's face as he thought about her words, but he quickly shook it off and smiled. "It is lovely... shall we explore a bit?"

Lilly saw the look on his face, and cocked her head to the side. She, unlike most people, wasn't one to shake off things like that; she always caught the little quirks and idiosyncrasies. "Yeah...lets go," she smiled up at him, giving him a somewhat curious look.

Together, hand in hand, they walked across the field, the Doctor stopping once to pluck a blue wildflower and hand it to Lilly. "You're first off world flower my lady."

"Oh... why thank you my lord," she grinned as sniffed it, "Very lovely." Lilly looked up at him and squinted her eyes. "So... Doctor... you okay?" she asked.

"Certainly," he replied looking at her a bit surprised. "Why would you ask?"

"Cause right before we started walking something flashed across your face... I'm good with that sort of stuff- reading people that is," she said with a shrug, "I caught what you probably didn't mean for me to see... so I ask ya again... you alright?"

"Yes, thank you," he said, "Just thinking." He would have to guard his emotions a bit better if he wanted to hide anything from this one... she was a clever, clever girl.

"May I ask about what?" she asked, smiling up at him. Lilly liked this man; this Doctor. He'd saved her life.

He sighed as he looked up at the horizon, the wind blowing his hair back slightly. Normally he would have made a diversion, or simply lied, but for some reason he felt Lilly should know the truth. "You're right Lilly... I do like to be adored... and I want to give you the choice, right now whether or not you'll stay... because it isn't always like this; so peaceful and beautiful. There is just as much bad in this universe, if not more, than there is good, and I see my fair share of the bad."

She gave him a little half smile and gave his hand a squeeze. "Well there's always bad that comes with the good... isn't really living otherwise... trust me, I'm Irish..." she smirked at her play on words, poking him in the side a bit, "Plus, I don't have anybody..."

The Doctor smiled widely down at his new companion. "Well you do now. You have someone right here as long as you want to stay, and as long as you don't get tired of the running... trust me... running is a big part of my life... I don't really ever stop."

"Well it's a good thing I'm a jogger then," she smirked, quirking her eyebrow at him before letting go of his hand and skipping ahead. Lilly had always been a bit of a free spirit.

"Don't run off too far!" he called as he grinned at her gallivanting about. "Trouble has a knack for finding me at the worst times... just be aware."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," she laughed with a wave of her hand. She flopped down on the grass and closed her eyes, making a "grass angel" on the ground.

The Doctor admired her carefree nature, but he knew that soon, traveling with him would break her, just as it had all the others. She would start looking over her shoulder at every turn, just as he often did. He was beginning to wonder about her emotions though... she had been so sad not even an hour ago... ready to take her own life even. However, now she was sitting there practically beaming as if nothing had happened at all.

"Have I mentioned how brilliant this all is?" she laughed, knowing she had, "C'mere! This cloud looks like a camel!" Lilly pointed up at the sky above her. What the Doctor didn't know was that throughout Lilly's life, she'd gone through a series of traumatic events- or so she thought. When she was five, her family was in a car accident that took the lives of her mother and brother; leaving only she and her Dad. They'd moved to London to get away from the memories of the past; she'd never really liked it, but she'd stayed there for her father. After her Dad had died a few months back, her whole world was gone, she had nothing left. It was getting harder and harder to remember anything about her life other than small facts; no emotions…no nothing. She acted the way she did because dealing with reality and the sadness of her life was too much for her to bare.

The Doctor walked over and plopped down in the grass beside her and looked up at the sky. "I suppose it does doesn't it," he laughed. "Oh look! That one looks like a kitten!" Truthfully the Doctor was just happy to have someone to spend his time with. He had been terribly lonely as of late. He leaned back, resting his head on his hands. It was nice to just lose himself for a while, and not think too much about the past or the future and just look at the beauty of here and now; it was certainly something he didn't get to do enough.


	2. Chapter Two: A Right Pair

**Chapter Two: A Right Pair**

"So...what's you're story Doctor? I know you're an alien...Time Lord- whatever that is...and I know you're the last of 'em...and I know you've got a time machine," she smiled, "But who's the real you?"

"I think that's sort of a loaded question," he replied as he chewed on a piece of grass. "Some say I'm a warrior... others say I'm mad. My enemies would call me heartless, and maybe in some ways they're right. Truth is I don't really know who I am. Bit sad eh? 924 years old and I still have no clue... I guess if I had to choose a way to describe myself though, I might have to say I was the makings of the perfect monster." He wasn't sure why he had let all that just tumble out, but it was too late to stop it now.

"You don't seem like much of a monster to me," Lilly said quietly as she flipped over onto her stomach to look at him, "Someone as wonderful as you couldn't be as horrible as you make yourself out to be...from what I've seen, you're kind...just beautiful and smart and brilliant and just, well kind..." She smiled a bit at him before she frowned, "Wait...did you say you were 924 years old!?"

"Well thank you..." he murmured. 'If only she really knew,' he sighed inwardly. "Yes that's right. 924, give or take a few years... it's hard to keep track once you pass a certain age."

"Hmmm...924 years old and picking up a 26 year old...you dirty ol' man you...," she teased before bursting out laughing, "I'm sorry, that was mean...funny though...well sort of funny..."

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably. "I suppose it does sound terrible when you say it that way...never meant it to be taken that way though," he said awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm only teasing you silly man...silly man, I like that one...," Lilly said with a role of her eyes, "I think it's sweet that you've picked up a stray like me..."

"Oh don't call yourself a stray...you aren't some dog," he said as he sat back up and looked at Lilly. "You're a self respecting, lovely, brilliant young lady. If anyone is the stray in this situation it's me...roaming the galaxy for years. I merely adopted you as mine, as many wandering strays due to humans."

"Oh...so now I'm adopted?" she giggled before flipping back over and laying her head in his lap, "Well either way...this is all brilliant...absolutely, completely, positively brilliant..."

"Oh just wait til we meet your first monster..." he chuckled, "We'll see how brilliant you think it is then."

"But don't you get it? That's still brilliant! Monsters...aliens...things that go bump in the night...knowing that we're not alone in this universe...it's amazing..." Lilly sighed, closing her eyes.

The Doctor smiled and brushed her hair away from her face; her head was still in his lap. He admired her brilliant mind and he hoped that she wouldn't regret her choice. "I suppose that's true. I've always felt that way too honestly."

"We're a right pair ain't we?" she laughed coarsely, her accent heavy. Her brown eyes opened and she looked up at him. "An ancient alien with a time machine and a reckless, crazy woman who's lost everything," she mumbled.

"Yeah, yeah I suppose we are... but you certainly aren't crazy Lilly," he sighed, "If either of us is crazy it would be me. I'm the mad man with a box..."

She laughed a little at this and closed her eyes; a small tear gently rolling down her cheek and she made to brush it away quickly. "Oh you are aren't you, silly man...," she murmurs. Somehow, and she isn't sure how, but she trusts the Doctor more than she knows she should for someone she's only just met; feels as though she's known him all her life, or her future, or whatever it may be- her life intertwined with his...destined even.

"I've always been told I was crazy," he chuckled. Something felt familiar about this woman. Something just felt right, having her with him. "I just prefer to think of myself as creative though..."

"Better way to look at it I suppose," Lilly sighed, opening her eyes again, "You said there were others...companions before me...what happened to them?"

The Doctor looked at her and then cut his eyes away, closing them tight. "Well... I've lost some of them, one is stuck in a parallel Universe, one walked away on her own accord, and the most recent doesn't remember that she ever met me. I erased her memories...she didn't want to remember."

"But why would you not want to remember...it's so wonderful...surely it couldn't have been her own choice..." she stated rather than asked, "I'm sorry though Doctor...I can tell you loved them...or rather love them...we never really die...memories live on..." Lilly brought a hand up to his cheek and caressed it lightly in a soothing way.

The Doctor cocked his head, looking at her deep in thought. "Why did you put it that way...You said 'we' never really die...you're putting yourself with those I've already lost." She was right though, he never stopped loving any of them; all of them were loved in different ways.

"Don't know...," she said, pondering her choice of words, "So these monsters..." Lilly hadn't meant to change the subject so suddenly, but something in the back of her mind was telling her 'He's not ready...move on...hurry!'

"What about them?" the Doctor asked reluctantly, not quite ready to let go of the previous subject, but he could revisit it later.

"Dunno...just wondering about them...anything truly terrifying? I mean I've seen the Daleks...and the Cybermen...and there was that giant star on Christmas last year...and the Titanic over London the year before that...and then the year before that there was another alien invasion with everyone standin' on the roofs...," she rambled.

The Doctor's brow wrinkled, "How do you remember all that?" he asked. "You shouldn't know about it...almost everyone has forgotten, or their memories have been wiped. They were covered up as government phenomenon... and yes... there is much, much more out there. Things that are much more terrifying."

"Government- shovernment," Lilly scoffed and waved her hand about before tapping her temple, "Got a good memory I have...besides, who could forget that? I mean you saved us all." Lilly's eyebrows knitted together for a moment. The Doctor had never told her that he was the one to save them.

"How-How did you know that?" The Doctor asked as he looked down at her in surprise.

"Hmmm? What?" she asked, looking up at him as she fiddled with some of the purple grass between her fingers.

"You know what I'm asking you...how did you know I saved you?" he asked as he stared at her, his eyes wide.

"Just a hunch I suppose," she said as she sat up and turned to him, "I mean that's what you do right? You save people...been doing so for nine hundred plus years..."

"How did you know how long..." the Doctor trailed off as Lilly sat up and looked at him. His wheels were turning, racking his brain for a possible way that she would know.

"Well you told me your age...just assumed that you've been doing this sort of thing for awhile," Lilly shrugged. 'You're giving too much of yourself away! Now's not the time...he doesn't need to know yet,' the voice in her head said.

The Doctor wasn't sure how he felt about her having an answer for everything... she was clever...too clever maybe. The Doctor felt uneasy. "Yeah... easy deduction I suppose," he mumbled.

"So...what else is on this magnificent planet besides you, me, and a field of purple grass?" she asked, changing the subject yet again.

"Well... we could go find out," the Doctor said as he stood up and helped her to her feet.

She took his hand with a smile and started tugging him forward. "Right. Andiamo!" she beamed, but felt the Doctor unmoving, "What? Do you not know Italian? I figured someone as old as you would know different languages...it means 'let's go'."

"I-I know..." he said as he felt a bit off. "I prefer French myself..."

"Well then," she smirked, "Allons-y Monsieur Doctor!"

"Allon-sy..." he smiled the realest fake smile he could muster. "How do you know many languages...?" he asked, his brow still creased.

"Always came natural to me...started off when I was small I think..." Lilly smiled.

"Oh good. It's always helpful to learn other languages." The Doctor said as he walked on with this odd girl until a small city came into view.

"Oh beau!" Lilly exclaimed before smirking up at the Doctor, "You like French...I can do French...or Italian...or German...or Spanish...I know a bit of Dutch and Martian as well..."

"Oh really...? Well, you're brilliant! I knew I saw good things in you!" the Doctor smiled, trying to shake off the feelings radiating from his stomach.

Lilly beamed at him as they continued to walk toward the city. 'Did I say I knew Martian? Tongue must have gotten ahead of my brain,' she thought to herself, 'Nobody knows Martian...well suppose Martian's do...and probably the Doctor.'


	3. Chapter Three: Realization

**Chapter Three: Realization**

The Doctor did a fair job at hiding his uneasiness as they neared the city. Who was Lilly really? She seemed to know all about him... "Well this seems...Interesting..." the Doctor said, choosing his words carefully as they reached the city limits.

"Well it's a city on an alien planet...course it's interesting," Lilly scoffed as she stuffed her hands into her black leather jacket.

"Well yes...I was just saying..." the Doctor grumbled as he looked her over out of the corner of his eye. "Where shall we look first then?"

"Depends...we looking for anything in particular? she asked, raising an eyebrow at him as she fiddled with something in her pocket.

"I don't suppose... you just said you wanted to explore. How would you know where to find anything particular on an alien planet anyway?" he questioned.

"I wouldn't...never even left the United Kingdom before I met you...always wanted to travel though- why I know so many languages," she rambled as she let go of his hand and walked a bit ahead as she pulled a small silver watch from her pocket and turned it over and over in her hand. Lilly turned to him and her brow furrowed, "You ask a lot of questions, you know that?"

"Could say the same about you..." he stated before looking down at the object in her hands, his eyes getting wide. "W-whe-where did you get that?"

"Get what? This?" she mumbled as she looked at the watch in her hand, "It was me Dad's...bloody thing doesn't work, but it's all I've got left of 'im."

"Your Dad eh? Who was he if you don't mind me asking..." the Doctor inquired as they walked around a corner towards the center of town.

Lilly stuffed the watch back in her pocket and sighed, "He was postman from Dublin. Good man, caring, loved his family, took care of me after...well he just took care of me..."

"After what?" The Doctor pushed, hoping he wasn't stepping over that hard to see line of too far. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want... I just care is all." He had to find out if that watch was what he thought it was; he had to get back to the TARDIS.

"After my mother and little brother died...18 wheeler lorry...," she mumbled, "I was five...Dad and me got out fine with little injuries, but yeah...anyway that's when we move to London. Got a little flat just outside town down by the water. I used to play in it as a kid." Lilly spoke a bit as though it was a generated recollection and not an actually memory.

"Tell me about your mum..." he urged. He wanted to see how much she really remembered.

"Lovely woman...had blondish hair. She was from Belfast. Her family had a book shop there. She and Dad met at a pub when he moved from Northern Ireland," she said with a half smile.

"How about your brother? Did you look much alike?" the Doctor smiled. He wanted her to at least tell him fond memories, whether they were real or not.

"Aye...but he had freckles...Always said he was actually meant to be ginger what with all the freckles...he was three...," she said as she fumbled again with the watch in her pocket.

"So you were older then..." The Doctor trailed off. He didn't want her to center on her own pain. "You know... I lost everyone too. Even lost my daughter... "

"Oh I'm sorry...," Lilly said as she looked up at him sympathetically, "Like I said before though...we're never really lost..."

She was doing it again... grouping herself with those that were lost. The Doctor raised his eyebrow and pulled out his sonic and scanned her.

"What the hell is that thing? And did it look like I gave you permission to just scan me with your alien tech!?" she exclaimed.

"Sorry!" the Doctor exclaimed as he looked down at it and read the scan. He had been right, it picked up two hearts...one beating, the other laying dormant. "It's harmless though really... just a sonic screwdriver."

"You scanned me with a bloody screwdriver?" Lilly said, her hands on her hips, before sighing, "Just...just ask next time...no need to be rude Doctor."

"Sorry...was just curious is all... so...About your father's watch... do you ever open it?" he asked as nonchalantly as possible.

"What sort of question is that?" Lilly asked, "And no...why would I? It's broken."

"Well..." he said, trying to think of the best way to talk about this very delicate situation. "I would really like to take it back to the TARDIS and study it...I had a watch just like that once."

"Why is it you need to go back to the TARDIS? Not getting rid of me already are you? Taking me back?" she said, inching away slightly.

"I swear I'm not!" he promised. "I just want to study your watch a bit. I swear to be extremely careful with it."

Lilly sighed, but nodded as she bypassed the Doctor and started making her way back the way they came. "You better...it's all I've got left as a reminder of him," she called back over her shoulder.

Could it have actually been his? He hadn't been able to find his for quite some time... not that he had any use for it. He already knew that wasn't the way to go to make your problems better either. "I wouldn't dream of damaging it."

oOo

They made it back to the TARDIS and once inside, the Doctor held his hand out to Lilly. "May I please see your watch?" he asked kindly. She reluctantly handed it over to him, face down and bit her bottom lip.

"Don't worry, I'll be very careful," he said as he set it down lightly on one of the flat surfaces of the console and scanned it with the sonic. Yes... there was definitely something there... the levels of time energy were through the roof!

"Sorry...bit protective of it is all. It's like I'm connected to it," she sighed, "Always loved the patterns on it...thought they looked like the patterns and orbits of the universe..."

The Doctor gave her a small, sad smile as he turned it over and looked at the front of the watch. "That's exactly what they are Lilly..." he said softly. The TARDIS groaned a small warning for the Doctor to tread carefully.

"What d'ya mean? That's really what they are?" she asked, "It's just a design on a fob watch...just a pretty design."

"But it isn't just a pretty design. Lilly, darling... that's Gallifreyan... my home my native tongue." The Doctor said as he eased her over toward the captain's seat, figuring she would need to sit down.

"But why would my Dad have a watch with Gallifreyan on it?" she asked as she sat down, staring up at the Doctor.

The Doctor took a deep breath, "Lilly... tell me a specific memory of you and your father."

"Why? Doctor...you're scaring me," Lilly said with wide eyes, "My Dad wasn't an alien."

"I'm not saying that at all...Please just humor me. I'm still making sure I've pieced everything together properly," he smiled calmly.

Lilly closed her eyes and thought hard, "I...I can't remember anything. Why can't I remember anything!? All I see when I think of him is a blurry picture and running!" She was starting to become a bit hysterical.

"It's ok... take a deep breath and concentrate," he said softly. "Think of your childhood, and try again."

"I-I don't see anything...like I never had one...that can't be right though! Everyone's got a childhood!" Lilly exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes, "I had to have had one! I had a brother and-and we lived in a house..."

"But you didn't did you... it all makes sense now Lilly... you were the alien. Your family was never real...they are part of a perception filter...a very ornate one at that. I applaud you ability," he said as he handed her watch back to her. "That's yours... not your father's."

"What? I'm not an alien!? I'm human! I've got one heart, and a mum and dad and-and a home...on earth!" she cried, "I'm not like you!"

Her words hurt the Doctor a bit, but he didn't retaliate. "Lilly... I'm sure you do have a home, and a mum and dad... but you have two hearts... I saw so when I scanned you earlier. One is just dormant."

"But...how!? I...I don't know what to do! " she sobbed as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Open the watch..." he said sadly. He knew the pain it could cause her, but at least she would have answers, and it would be nothing compared to how she was feeling now... so lost.

"But...I'll lose everything won't I? My family...it'll all be gone won't it..." she said rather than asked, realizing what opening the watch meant.

"Yes... but darling they were never real. Perhaps you have a family out there that misses you..." the Doctor said, even though he knew it wasn't true. Time Lords were the only race with two hearts. Maybe he was being selfish...but he could be her new family if nothing else.

"They were real to me...," she mumbled as she stared at the watch that still sat on the console. Lilly stood up and walked over to it; she picked it up and turned it over in her hand. "Goodbye... You were all so wonderful...I'll never forget you...," she said quietly to herself before she opened the watch and a golden light surrounded her.

The Doctor held his breath, he didn't mean to... he was just so nervous. It had been quite some time since he had seen another Time Lord. Would this one stay? He stayed back for a moment, letting Gallifreyan nature take its course.


	4. Chapter Four: Finally Finding Family

**Chapter Four: Finally Finding Family**

The light finally subsided and Lilly blinked widely a few times as she took everything in. She looked at her fingers and wiggled them a bit, checking that they were all there. Once she'd done this and silently checked the rest of her self over, she looked back up at the Doctor.

"Hello," the Doctor smiled as he ran a hand through his hair nervously. "I'm the Doctor... I certainly hope you don't hate me now...you know... having you open the watch and all..."

A smile slowly spread across 's Lilly's face as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked the Doctor up and down. "You're skinnier than I remember," she drawled with a smirk on her face.

"I-I'm sorry... have we met? Our Time Lord selves I mean?" the Doctor asked as he looked at her closely, trying to place her face to anyone back home. How had she escaped?

"Yeah...we've met...once before...we ran...and you cried...and well I died...," she said somewhat cryptically.

The Doctor's brow wrinkled in confusion. "I- I'm sorry... I've lost so many...and I know their faces, but I don't remember yours..." He felt terrible, and tears actually sprang into his eyes. She subconsciously remembered him before, and that must have been why she was grouping herself with those he lost.

"Well...I have changed since last you saw of me...does the phrase generated anomaly mean anything to you?" she asked with a small grin on her face. She knew she was teasing him, but she couldn't just come out and say what she wanted to.

The Doctor thought for a moment. Where had he heard that before? It had been quite some time ago. "I- I think so..."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Hello Dad..."

"Jenny..." the Doctor whispered as he closed the small distance between them and threw his arms around her. "I thought I had lost you..."

"You bloody didn't stick around long enough!" she laughed as she squeezed him tightly around his middle.

"I'm so sorry...if I had even the slightest idea you could have regenerated I never would have left!" He stepped back to look at her. "What made you use the chameleon circuit?"

Jenny pulled away and looked at him, scrunching her nose. "Ha ha...uh...funny story 'bout that...got into a bit of trouble back on Thepola and I was sorta running from the Thepolian mob...yeah...anyway all sorted...I'm sure they have no idea where I am now!" she explained quickly.

"The Thepolian mob!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Jenny... those men are no joke! They would stop at nothing to find someone! What the bloody hell did you do?"

"Oh I knew I shouldn't have told you," she mumbled as she walked around the console and took the room in. "This is all brilliant by the way," she said as she gestured about her, clearly avoiding the topic, "Much more impressive in person than in the few readings I've found."

"Jenny... you can tell me anything, I'm your father. I'm brash because I'm worried and I care... please tell me what happened. I may be able to help," the Doctor said with pleading eyes.

"Fine...," she sighed, "Well after you and Donna left and I came back to life, I stole the rocket and went out to go travelling. At first it was just to see what was all out there; I got into a habit of saving people- like father like daughter. Then after a while, I set out to come find you. That's actually how I got the watch in the first place." Jenny tossed him the watch, "I think this belongs to you. Got it off a very handsome and cheeky human- Jack Harkness...told me to send his love whenever I found you. Anyway, I was on Thepola cause that was the last I'd heard you were at and then I ended up freeing a bunch of prisoners from the mob and maybe blowing up half their ships in the process..."

The Doctor's hearts swelled with pride as he looked at his daughter; she really was just like him. "A very noble cause indeed... I'll do my best to help you if they ever come after you again...Now what's this business with Jack? How did you meet him?" the Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was in a bar on Farbella, lovely little place, anyway, I hadn't regenerated yet- the first time was only a partial, anyway, he came up and bought me a drink. We had a good flirt and he told me about himself and I may have bragged a smidge about my amazing father..." she mumbled.

The Doctor frowned a bit at the thought of Jack flirting with his daughter and buying her drinks, but he didn't say anything about it. He hadn't exactly been the best father, so he supposed he couldn't be too upset. "Well, you've found me now," he smiled, shaking off his anger. He'd have to give Jack a call soon though.

"I know! And it's brilliant!" she grinned as she ran back over to him and hugged him tightly. "Sorry about Lilly by the way...I remember everything about her...what she almost did...," she muttered into his chest.

"It's alright," he said softly, hugging her back in a protective manner. "In her mind, that was her only choice at the time. Don't let those memories die though; they are a lesson in themselves."

"By the way...hope you know I'm not goin anywhere...took too bloody long to find you!" she laughed lightly as she snuggled up against him.

"Good, I'd have to hunt you down," he chuckled as he laid his chin on her head she squeezed her lightly. "Now that I know you're alright, I'm not letting you escape so easy."

"Good...so...we make a right pair don't we? Last of the Time Lord's huh?" she sighed before pulling back a bit, "So...Donna still with you or...?"

"No..." he sighed, missing his best friend. "She's the one that doesn't remember..." He was happy to have his daughter back, but it was still different than having a human companion. He would never let on that he needed or wanted anyone else to her though.

"I'm sorry Dad...she was wonderful...well from what I remember of that one time I met her...convinced you I was real, she did," she smiled and rubbed his shoulder.

"Yeah," he sighed, "She was certainly something... of course they all were..." His mind traveled back to Rose for a moment and his hearts ached as they always did, but he quickly pushed away the thought.

"You alright?" Jenny asked as she tugged slightly on her shoulder length hair, "You seem...I don't know...distracted?"

"Huh? Oh... yeah sorry. Just thinking about a companion of mine..." the Doctor sighed a bit sadly. "Nothing for you to worry about..."

"You sure? I mean you're my Dad...you're all I've got. I wanna make sure you're okay," she said, cocking her head to the side.

He smiled sadly down at her. "Yeah... I just miss her is all. She was wonderful. You would have loved her Jenny. Her name was Rose Tyler..." he trailed off as his memory took her back to her warm smile and the way her hair always smelled so sweet; like honeysuckle.

"You loved her didn't you?" Jenny asked, "You've got that goofy, puppy dog grin on your face..."

"Yeah... yeah I did," the Doctor replied, snapping out of his thoughts. "She changed me Jenny... made me better."

"What happened to her Dad?" she asked, trying not to upset him to much.

"She's stuck in a parallel universe..." he sighed, "I had no choice or I never would have left her." Tears welled in his eyes and he swallowed hard.

"Oh...oh Daddy, I'm so sorry," Jenny said quietly as she hugged him to her. She'd never seen the Doctor this upset and it terrified her.

"It's-It's ok..." he sighed as he wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "That's the curse of being a Time Lord Jenny. You lose the ones you love, because they can spend the rest of their lives with you...but you can never spend the rest of your life with them. At least this way I know she is safe with my metacrisis."

"What's a metacrisis?" she asked as she rubbed soothing circles on her father's back.

"Oh ummm...he's like a clone, only human," the Doctor replied once he thought of the easiest way to explain it.

"Oh...bit od, but I understand," she said simply, "And you can't get her back?"

"It would rip a hole through the fabric of time and space if I tried to go back," he sighed. "Oh how I wish I could though... I would certainly do things differently."

"I'm sure you would," she sighed before yawning, "So...this place have a spare room cause I'm sorta exhausted from turning back into a Time Lord..."

"Oh sorry yes! Certainly!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Actually, I think the old girl has probably already made you a room since you said you weren't going anywhere." He chuckled as he checked one of his monitors to see where the TARDIS placed her room.

Jenny pat the console a few times and smiled, "Oh well thank you! Now, father dearest, care to escort me to my room...don't want me getting lost do you?"

The Doctor chuckled, "No I suppose not. It should just be right down this hall, right next to Rose's old room." Together they walked down the corridor and he made sure that her room was to her liking. "Do you need anything?" he asked as he leaned against her doorframe.

"A goodnight hug?" she asked with a smile before leaning up on her toes and kissing the Doctor's cheek. Jenny had missed out on a childhood and she wasn't going to let a minute of her new life with her father go to waste.

The Doctor smiled down at her and squeezed her tight. "Good night my dear, sleep well," he said as he looked her over with pride once more before stepping back and shutting her door to give her some privacy.

Jenny ran and flopped down on her new bed with a giggle. "A room of my own! Oh this is brilliant!" she laughed.

The Doctor smiled to himself all the way back to the console. He couldn't believe he had found Jenny! He started pressing buttons to send them into the vortex to drift, but little did the Doctor know that the TARDIS had something else in mind completely…


	5. Chapter Five: The Parallel World

**Chapter Five: The Parallel World**

The TARDIS groaned loudly and the floor jerked violently. "Woah! Woah! Woah! What are you doing!? I just want to go to the vortex! That's all I want!" the Doctor exclaimed as he held on tightly to the console and tried to over ride the controls.

The TARDIS made a noise that sounded like a laugh. Since when had she always given him what he wanted? She knew what was best for him, even when he didn't.

"Come on ol' girl!" he shouted as he finally got to the monitors, "No! No! No! You're gonna kill us!" The Doctor looked closer at the screen and then his face broke out in a huge grin. There was a small gap in the universe that would last for the next three days. If he could get there at exactly the right moment, he'd be able to get to Pete's world; to Rose. "Oh yes! You glorious, brilliant, sexy machine! Keep going!"

The TARDIS had scanned and noticed the gap earlier, but she knew getting to "Lilly," was more important in the grand scheme of things. She just wished the Doctor would trust her more. "Dad?! What's going on?" Jenny asked as she stumbled out to the console room; trying to hold onto anything she could for support.

"My beautiful ship here is taking me to Rose that's what's going on!" he said with a manic laugh, "Hold on tight darling! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

"Oh you don't say..." she laughed dryly as she gripped the console, "I hadn't noticed..." She couldn't help but smile though; her dad would finally get what he wanted.

"Oh have a sense of humor," he grinned. The TARDIS barely squeezed through the gap, but after a few more minutes, they landed with a loud thud, sending the Doctor and Jenny crashing to the ground.

"Geez! You'd think she could be a bit more graceful!" Jenny stated as she got up and brushed some dust off her black pants.

"Oi! No badmouthing! It's not her fault she had to squeeze through a tiny gap in the universe," the Doctor said as he jumped to his feet and darted to the door, leaving Jenny to follow him.

"Dad wait up!" Jenny giggled as she threw on her worn leather jacket and bolted to the door right behind him.

"London! Parallel universe! Taste that bit of a tang in the air?" he asked as he threw on his brown coat that he'd grabbed on his way out. The Doctor never thought he'd be here again; he was beaming.

"Yeah... tastes a lot like our London...but wrong... kinda off," she made a face as she tried not to think of the slight sourness. "So, where do we find this Rose Tyler of yours?" Jenny smiled.

"Dunno...she wouldn't be at the Powell Estate anymore...guess we could check her mum and dad's place...," he said as he grabbed her hand and started tugging her down the sidewalk, "Come on! Rose is here! Somewhere!"

Jenny thought for a moment as he tugged her along. "Dad... you scanned me with that sonic of yours while I was Lilly. Did you ever scan Rose?"

"Well yeah...course I did. Why?" he asked as he swung their hands happily between them.

"Is there any way the information stays stored from the scans? If so, couldn't you just reverse the signal? Use it as a sort of tracking device?" she questioned.

The Doctor stopped walking and picked his daughter up and spun her around. "Oh you are brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" he exclaimed before setting her down and kissing her forehead, "Oh you are definitely my daughter."

Jenny smiled widely. She had wanted nothing more than to hear her father affirm that she really was a part of him. She always seemed to feel like no matter what she did, it wouldn't be enough to live up to being the Doctor's daughter.

Once he'd finally let her go, the Doctor pulled out his sonic and quickly filed through previous logged scans until he found one for Rose. "Alrighty...here goes nothing," he said as he pressed a button and the blue light on the end started blinking.

A small blipping noise could be heard faintly. "You did it Dad! My idea works!" Jenny beamed. She was extraordinarily proud of herself.

"That's because you're brilliant darling!" he grinned as he grabbed his hand again, "Come on! I've got a certain Rose Marian Tyler to find!"

oOo

They followed the small blip for quite a while until they came to a park. They turned the corner and there she was, across the park, sitting on a bench under a tree. "Oh...she's just as beautiful as ever..." the Doctor sighed.

"You mean the blonde over there? Oh she is pretty!" Jenny smiled. "Well go on then! Don't just stand here!"

The Doctor started across the park, a huge smile on his face. Just then, his metacrisis came striding up to Rose with a little boy, who looked about two or three, in his arms. The Doctor froze in his tracks before quickly darting behind a tree.

He watched as the metacrisis leaned down and kissed Rose before the little boy reached out his arms to her smiling. Rose took the child in her arms and hugged him, the glow of a proud mother settling over her.

Jenny frowned as she saw her father dart out of sight. She made her way over to him and cocked her eyebrow. "Dad...what's wrong? Aren't you gonna talk to Rose?" she asked.

"I-I can't Jenny," he said quietly, his voice cracking slightly. "Look at her. She's happy here, and she has a son...I shouldn't interfere. I'm nothing but a part of her past now. I love her enough to step back and let her be happy with him. That was why I put him here after all."

She looked over at Rose and the man that looked exactly like her father; they seemed so happy. "You could still go say hello Dad...we came all this way..." she said quietly as she placed a hand on his arm.

The Doctor wanted so badly to go scoop Rose up in his arms and never let her go, but he simply sighed and shook his head. "It's better this way Jenny. If she never knew I was here." He slowly turned back toward the TARDIS and kept his head down, looking at his feet. He thought himself foolish for even thinking things would be that easy; that he could just come sweep her off her feet again.

"But Dad!" she called after him, "We- we came all this way!" Jenny hated to see her father so upset and beat down.

"Jenny please..." the Doctor all but pleaded, "Just let it go. I know she's happy now, and that's all I could ever ask for. I created this future for her... I'm glad she's living it out happily."

She sighed, looking back at Rose once more before reluctantly following the Doctor back toward the entrance of the park.

At the bench under the tree, Rose turned her head and saw a glimpse of the tails of a familiar brown coat. "John..." she said quietly as she gripped his arm.

"What's wrong love?" John asked as he looked up at her. He had been leaned over, playing with the young toddler.

"I thought I saw..." she trailed off before shaking her head and looking up at her husband with a smile, "Never mind...just seeing things."

John looked at her a moment more, a worried expression on his face before simply leaning down and kissing her forehead.

"Come on. Let's get this little guy home; it's nap time," Rose smiled as she picked up the little boy and slung him on her hip with practiced ease. John nodded in agreement and picked up the bag of toys and snacks they had brought with them for the little one.

By this time, now that the Doctor knew where he was going, he and Jenny were back to the TARDIS. He felt emotionally drained as he unlocked the doors and tried to turn and smile at Jenny, motioning for her to go in first.

"Dad...you should have talked to her..." Jenny sighed as she sat down on the pilot seat once they both got inside.

"I said to let it go," he said a bit sternly, but not with enough conviction for it to sting. "As long as she's happy, that's all that matters."

"But Dad! You love her!" she exclaimed before she was cut off by the Doctor's cold glare and the slam of his fist against the console. "Dammit Jenny! I said let it go!" he yelled; he was an emotional wreck.

Tears welled up in Jenny's eyes as she fell silent. She wanted to just go back to her room and lock herself away until he cooled off, but she found herself seemingly rooted to the floor. She had never seen the Doctor this upset... at least not at her. But now she understood why she had heard stories about him being a heartless man. Not that he was, and she knew that; but because if his anger at her peaked this way, imagine how hard he would come at an enemy under the right set of circumstances.

"The TARDIS used a lot of energy getting here...we won't be able to leave until tomorrow..." he said quietly before walking silently out of the console room and down the hall. From a ways off, a door slammed; the Doctor had stalked off to his bedroom.

Jenny let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding until now. She suddenly felt tired as well; she'd had a crazy day, and hadn't had time to fall asleep before the TARDIS had brought them here, but a thought occurred to her, and she knew she would have time to sleep later if her father didn't kill her first.


	6. Chapter Six: M, G, & R

**Chapter 6: Meetings, Greetings, and Reunitings**

Jenny walked out of the TARDIS and started heading back in the direction of the park. She figured Rose and the metacrisis lived close by and she was determined to find them. She had to find Rose for the Doctor's sake; he needed to see her even if he wouldn't admit it.

oOo

Rose had already put Riley, her son, down for a nap, and John had said he wanted to watch something on the telly. She had tried to submerge herself in a book, but her mind kept wondering back to what she thought she had seen earlier. "I'm gonna go out for a bit," she said to John as she slipped on her coat.

"Alright," he smiled, "Don't be too long though...I'll miss you too much!" John kissed her cheek before he continued to walk toward the living room.

"I won't, just gonna go for a walk," she replied. She could tell John had been worried about her recently. She had been having odd dreams and they had kept her from sleeping. They were about the Doctor; of course she hadn't told John that. She hadn't brought up the Doctor in quite a few years now.

oOo

Jenny was having no luck in her search for Rose. She'd started down another row of houses when she saw a blonde woman emerge from one of the covered porches and start off down the sidewalk opposite of her. 'Could that be her? Is that Rose?' she thought.

Rose felt like someone was watching her and she stopped in her tracks and looked around, but saw no one that seemed out of place. 'Oi, this really _is_ getting to me...' she thought to herself.

Jenny continued walking toward the woman until she realized that it was in fact Rose. When she was finally close enough, she asked, "Excuse me. Hi, are you Rose Tyler?"

Rose jumped slightly as she spun around. She eyed the girl for a moment warily. "Maybe...who's askin?"

"Sorry...didn't mean to scare you. My name's Jenny. I'm the daughter of an old friend of yours," Jenny said with a smile.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Who exactly?" she asked as she looked Jenny over. For some reason she already knew the answer though. Too much had been leading up to it.

"The Doctor," Jenny smiled, "He's here...in this universe...in London..."

Rose's heart seemed to leap and sink all at once. "The Doctor..." she breathed, "How?"

"Teeny gap in the universe that the TARDIS found before he even realized it," she explained, hoping she was talking about how the Doctor was here and not how she was his daughter.

Rose nodded. She felt a bit numb inside as she tried to process everything and sort her emotions. She didn't speak for a long while. "Where is he?" she finally asked.

"A few blocks from the park you were at today," Jenny replied.

"He was there today wasn't he?" she asked, her face lighting up. "I knew I wasn't crazy! Why didn't he let me know?"

"He saw you and his metacrisis and your son...said you looked so happy and he didn't want to go and butt into your life again," she sighed, "Needless to say, being the caring daughter that I am, I came to find you..."

"Thank you," Rose smiled as she moved to hug the girl, before ever even thinking about it. She backed away though once she realized what she was doing. "Sorry... ummm what was your name again?"

"Jenny," she beamed, "Now come on...Dad's a right emotional wreck and the only thing that's gonna make him better is you...that is unless he absolutely murders me for interfering when he already yelled at me to drop it..."

Rose smirked, "Don't worry about him when he's mad at you. He never stays mad long. He may hate you for it at first, but I know the Doctor, and when he loves someone, that love always wins."

"You think he likes me enough to love me?" Jenny asked with a slight smile as she led the way back to the TARDIS, "I mean I barely know the man...he thought I was dead until a few hours ago..."

"Jenny... the Doctor loves everyone. Even those that hate him. I'm sure he loves you," Rose replied as she followed Jenny.

"That's brilliant," she beamed before they fell into a comfortable silence. After a long while, Jenny spoke up, "He misses you..."

"I miss him too," Rose sighed. "I mean I have John, and I have Riley... but it-it just isn't the same without the Doctor."

"You wouldn't come with us though would you?" she asked, "I mean you're life is here...you're married...and you have a kid..."

Rose thought hard for a moment. "I- I truly don't know Jenny," she mumbled as the beautiful blue box she had dreamed about on so many occasions came to view.

Jenny skipped up to door and tried opening it, but quickly realized it was locked. "Oh bullocks...I don't have a key...that's really very not good..." she muttered.

Rose laughed, "No worries," she said as she slipped a chain over her head that had been around her neck, hidden by her shirt. On it was a small silver key. "I've kept it all this time."

"Oh that's fantastic!" Jenny laughed, sounding very much like her father's ninth generation. She watched as Rose unlocked the door and they both walked inside. The TARDIS made a happy groan as it felt Rose's presence; their pink and yellow girl.

"I've missed you too old girl," Rose smiled. "Do you mind if I go talk to your Dad alone for a minute?"

"Sorta why I brought you here...Pretty sure he's in his room...I'm assuming you remember the way," Jenny sighed as she firmly closed the TARDIS door.

"Yeah, thanks again Jenny," Rose smiled as she started down the hall toward the Doctor's room, butterflies filling her stomach.

oOo

The Doctor was sitting at the small desk in his room staring at the unopened bottle of scotch that Mary, Queen of Scots had given him after he saved her from an assassination attempt. He heard a faint knock on the door and he sighed heavily. "I don't want to talk Jenny..."

"Good thing I'm not Jenny then isn't it?" a familiar voice chimed back.

His eyes widened as he quickly got up and fumbled with the knob before throwing the door open. "R-Rose..." he whispered as he looked down at her.

"The one and only," she grinned as she threw her arms around him in a huge hug.

The Doctor was so stunned. How did she know he was here? How had she found him? Then it hit him...Jenny. "I told her to drop it..." he mumbled into Rose's hair as he hugged her tightly to him.

"I'm glad she didn't," Rose replied, not wanting to let go, not wanting to open her eyes. She wanted this moment forever.

"I've missed you..." the Doctor sighed as he rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"I've missed you too," Rose said softly. He and John felt the same in her arms, except now her whole body felt electric.

He finally pulled away so he could look at her. "You're just as beautiful as ever," he whispered as he squeezed her hands lightly and smiled.

"And you haven't changed a bit you daft, thick headed man... how could you not tell me you were here?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

"You...you just looked so happy," he mumbled, looking down at his feet, "I couldn't just waltz over..."

"Don't you dare give me that Doctor," Rose chided. "I'm a big girl, and I know what my responsibilities are; they're here with my son. That doesn't mean that my heart doesn't still belong to you, I still would have wanted to know that you were here... that you were safe!"

The Doctor turned her hand left hand over in his as he felt a wedding ring. "You're married...good on you..." he sighed, "Sorry I couldn't make it to the wedding...You know how much I love them..."

Rose's heart ached as she looked up at him. She wasn't sure where her sudden boldness came from but she whispered, "I wish it had been you Doctor..."

"...Me too..." he mumbled, "Rose...Rose Tyler I..." The Doctor couldn't get the words out.

"Don't you dare do that to me again... you finish that sentence Doctor," she pleaded as her tears started to fall.

"I...I love you..." he said quietly as he finally let his eyes meet hers.

Rose wanted to pull him to her by the lapels and kiss him deeply, to run away with him in his big blue box and never look back, but she knew she couldn't leave Riley. "So... you have a daughter..." she said after a moment.

"Yeah..." he smiled, "One that's gonna get a stern talking to eventually..."

"Give her a break Doctor," Rose sighed. "She did what she did out of love."

"Suppose so..." the Doctor sighed, "She's brilliant isn't she?"

"That she is. Maybe you should let her know how you feel about her though..." Rose commented.

"She knows," he smiled slightly as he pulled her into the room; they were still standing in the doorway.

"I wouldn't bet on that," Rose stated as she looked up at him. "Just trust me, Im usually right."

"I'll tell her..." he trailed off before hugging her again, "God I've missed you so much..."

Rose laid her head on the Doctor's chest, taking in his earthy scent. "I've been so lost without you..." she mumbled.

"But you've got him...my metacrisis," the Doctor said as he looked down at her, "He's just like me...you shouldn't be lost Rose..."

"He's like you...but no matter what he does, he'll never be close to being enough like you for me." Rose replied, looking down at her feet.

"You looked so happy though...in the park...you married him Rose," he said as he sat on the bed, "You must love him...you have a child with him..."

"I got by with what I had," Rose sighed, as she walked over and stood in front of him. "I was trying to live on despite the fact that I thought I'd never see you again, and if I'm being honest, I suppose I could even admit that in the back of my mind I always pretended he was you."

The Doctor sat there quietly for a while as he looked at his feet. "I'm sorry Rose...I'm so sorry I left..." he mumbled.

"It's ok," she said quietly as she placed her hands on his shoulders as he sat in front of her. "You did what you had to do..."

"But I didn't Rose...I could have been selfish...could've taken you with me," he sighed, "I love you so much Rose...I'm sorry I never told you before..."

"That's not who you are Doctor. You're selfless, and caring, and it was expected out of you. You did the right thing, even though it hurt you, and I love you all the more for it," Rose smiled as she leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his neck as he still sat on the bed.

"Come with me?" the Doctor asked as he looked up at her, "Come with me and Jenny?" He sighed heavily before dropping his head, "Told you I was selfish..."

"Now you are, because you already lost me once. But, now I can't be selfish. I have a little boy Doctor... is he just supposed to grow up without me?" Rose asked.

The Doctor thought for a moment. Rose could bring her son with her; he could be a good father. "No...suppose not..." he sighed, "What' his name?"

"Riley," Rose beamed. He was the only thing that kept her going, kept her smiling. Well, that and the fact that John had the Doctor's face.

"Great name...only looked a few years old...suppose the TARDIS is nowhere for a small toddler..." he sighed as he flopped back on the bed and racked his hands down his face.

"Not particularly... look at all the danger out there Doctor... I can't put that on him," Rose sighed. "Maybe... maybe I should just come with you... John would simply think I went missing..." Even as she spoke though, she knew she wouldn't be able to do it. She loved her son too dearly to leave him.

"Rose...you can't do that...he'll be worried sick...I know I'd be if you just went missing all of a sudden..." he said with a sigh, "Why can't things ever be simple...why can't I ever get the girl..."

"Maybe as much as you love me, there is someone else out there that the universe knows you'll love even more," Rose said as tears filled her eyes at the thought.

"That'll never happen... " the Doctor said quietly, "C'mere..."

Rose laid next to him on the bed and laid her head on his chest. "Well... it's either that, or the universe just doesn't care..."

"Well it's clearly the second one then," he said, stifling a small chuckle as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. His mind briefly flickered to River Song...she'd known his name...only one person could know his name. The Doctor quickly dismissed the thought though; he only wanted Rose.

oOo

They laid there intertwined with each other in content silence until finally Rose's cell phone went off. "I knew this would be coming along soon," she sighed as she looked at the number; it was John. She took a deep breath and flipped it open. "Hello."

"Hey. Where are you? Thought you just went out for a walk...just wanted to make sure you were alright..." John said relieved.

"Sorry... just lost track of time... been thinking," she sighed. "I'll be home soon." She knew John knew her well enough to hear the hitch in her voice. He would know she had been crying.

"You sure you're alright darling?" he asked. John knew something was wrong. Between this and her thinking she'd seen something in the park, something was up.

"I'm fine... just fighting some old demons," she replied vaguely. "Is Riley ok?"

"Yeah...we tuckered him out at the park. He's still sound asleep," John replied with a smile in his voice, "Be back soon, yeah? Love you..."

"Yeah, you too," Rose replied, unable to say the real words to him while laying there in the Doctor's arms. She didn't wait for him to say anything else, she simply hung up.

"That was him I suppose..." the Doctor mumbled into Rose's hair as he closed his eyes. He couldn't help but feel like the man tearing Rose's family apart...

"Yeah... said he was beginning to worry, me being gone so long and all," Rose sighed as she held the Doctor tighter for a moment.

"And that's why you can't come with me...," he chocked out as he was trying his hardest not to break down. This would be the third time he would lose her; so much for third times the charm.

"No... I've already told you, he isn't what's keeping me here...Riley is... my baby boy. You have a child too Doctor, you must understand..." Rose said as tears streamed down her face once again.

"Yes...but I barely know her...didn't raise her...she was a generated anomaly," he mumbled half to himself.

"Does that change the fact that you love her Doctor? Would you not still do anything in the universe to keep her safe?" Rose sniffed.

"Course not," he mumbled. They lay there in silence once again before the Doctor built up enough courage to do the right thing. "You should get back Rose..." he whispered, barely being able to say the words.

Rose squeezed him tighter once more before sitting up and easing herself off the bed. "I suppose so," she sighed reluctantly.

He sat up and stood next to her. "Let me walk you home..." the Doctor said as he took her hand in his and brought it up to his lips to kiss softly.

"Doctor... I don't know if that's a good idea. John wouldn't be too happy if he saw you..." Rose said as she tried her best to hold back her tears.

"Please...," he asked, as he closed his eyes, "...I need a few more minutes with you before I actually have to say goodbye forever..."

"Alright, but you have to leave me at the end of the block..." Rose decided as she laced her fingers through his for the last time.

The Doctor nodded silently and led her down the corridor, through the console room, and back outside.


	7. Chapter Seven: Last Goodbyes & New Beg

**Chapter Seven: Last Goodbyes and New Beginnings**

They walked silently and slowly in the direction that Rose led them; their hands tightly clasped the whole while. "This is my block..." she said quietly, looking straight down the street, not wanting the Doctor to see her cry.

The Doctor reached up and cradled Rose's face in his hands, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb. He knew it was his job to be strong for her, even though his hearts were being ripped in two. "I love you so much Rose Tyler... I'm sorry I came back and caused you this pain all over again..."

"Don't you dare...don't you dare apologize for that..." she said quietly before she leaned up on her tip toes and kissed him ever so briefly, "I love you..."

The Doctor felt like Rose had stepped on his hearts as she pulled away from the kiss. It was small, most people would have thought it simple; but never before had he felt so much raw emotion in a kiss. "Take care Rose... keep that boy of yours out of trouble," he managed to choke around the lump that was now settled in his throat.

"And you tell your daughter you love her," she replied with a weak smile before looking once more into those beautiful, ancient brown eyes of his and turning away. Rose knew if she didn't leave now, she would never be able to; she loved him too much.

As she turned to leave, the Doctor pulled her back once more and kissed her passionately. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled as he pulled away. "I just wanted to give you a proper goodbye kiss..." he whispered as he let go of her. Truthfully, he just hadn't been willing to let her go, but now he refused to touch her again, he didn't want to hold her back.

Rose felt weak in the knees and a sob overwhelmed her. "Well you sure made it a good one..." she cried as she clutched to his jacket, "I could come with you...I could bring Riley...I-I...I can't lose you again!"

"Rose you have to go..." the Doctor said as a tear rolled down his cheek. He was shaking like a leaf. He wanted nothing more than to agree and get her back to the TARDIS, but he knew that it was no place for Riley, and he would never take Rose from him. "You know Riley would be in danger on the TARDIS..."

"But...I-I love you!" she whimpered. Rose know he was right; they'd been through this...she couldn't just up and leave with or without her son. It all just hurt so much to have to do this for a third time. Why could she never win?

"Goodbye Rose Tyler..." the Doctor managed as he took her by the shoulders and turned her toward her house, giving her a small start. He knew she wouldn't have been able to rip herself away from him if he hadn't.

Rose took a few shaky steps before looking back over her shoulder once more at the man she'd never see again; the real man...not the duplicate that passed for him. The man that held her heart and would until the end of time itself. She gave him one last sad smile as she quietly said, "Goodbye Doctor...I love you." With that, she made her way back down to her house, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I love you too Rose," the Doctor whispered into the wind as he watched her disappear into a small, quaint little house. He sighed heavily, not knowing what to do with himself. He walked around the city for a bit, but eventually he found himself back at the TARDIS.

oOo

Jenny was standing in the console room when she heard the TARDIS lock click open and she watched the Doctor slowly walk inside and shut the door. He seemed as though he didn't know she was there...seemed as if he'd been crying. "Hey..." she whispered.

The Doctor looked up at her and gave her one of the saddest smiles she'd ever seen. "Come 'ere, " he said softly as he held his arms open for her.

She walked over and gently wrapped her arms around his middle and pressed her face into his chest. "I'm sorry...I know you're probably mad cause you told me to drop it and I went and found her and brought her back here instead and I'm just really sorry..." Jenny rambled.

"I love you Jenny..." he sniffed. "It's ok...I'm the one who should be sorry. I never should have been upset worth you. You were just looking out for me."

"I love you too Dad," she smiled as she snuggled into him. It was the first time that the Doctor had told his daughter he loved her and it warmed Jenny's hearts so much that she thought they would burst.

oOo

The Doctor held Jenny tight for a while before letting go and checking the power levels of the TARDIS. "She's got enough power, we should be able to head back," he said sadly.

"She gonna be alright? Rose I mean?" Jenny asked, as she watched her father.

"Yeah... she's always been a strong one. She'll keep pushing forward," he replied with tears in his eyes. He didn't want to leave without her.

"Are you gonna be alright?" she asked sheepishly as she played with the ends of her hair.

"Yeah I suppose," he sighed as he started pushing buttons. "In time I will be anyway."

**"**I'm sorry…" she mumbled again, wanting to express her sympathy

The Doctor smiled at Jenny mournfully, "I know darling, thank you." Within a few more moments they were hurtling back through the rip between the universes.

"So…I can travel with you right?" Jenny asked, hoping to change the subject; she was still somewhat unsure.

"You can stay with me and travel as long as you like Jenny. I would be honored to have my beautiful daughter come along," the Doctor replied.

"Thanks Dad," she beamed, "So, the universe awaits…anywhere and everywhere?"

"That's right," he smiled, knowing he couldn't stay down; he had to be strong for her sake. "So where do you want to start?" he asked, that same huge smile spreading over his face that always played there when he felt he was on the brink of adventure.

"Surprise me!" Jenny laughed as she made her way to push buttons on the controls.

The Doctor laughed, even if it was only half heartedly, with his daughter as they ran around the console, pushing random buttons together.

"I'm so glad I found you Dad," Jenny grinned as they landed and she grabbed his hand, "Allons-y! Still like French don't you?'

A big grin spread over his face, "Indeed! Allons-y!" With that, they continued on, never to look back. Of course the Doctor still missed Rose terribly, but he knew that no matter what, they would have each other's hearts.


End file.
